An Introduction to Whitby
From the atmospheric Abbey towering over winding cobbled streets to the windswept beach and working harbour, Whitby is not your traditional coastal town. No trip to this picturesque ancient seaport would be complete without sampling some award-winning fish and chips, following the footsteps of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and English explorer Captain James Cook or discovering the history of the famous Whitby Jet.
Enjoy the North York Moors, Yorkshire Coast and Howardian Hills by public transport, find out more.
Places to Stay in Whitby
The Coach House
Whitby, North Yorkshire
Cliffemount Hotel
Runswick Bay, Bank Top Lane, Whitby, North Yorkshire, TS13 5HU
Explorers Rest
7 Wellington Terrace, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3HF
Holmleigh Guest House
6 Prospect Hill, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1QE
Blue Beck Cottage
Egton Bridge, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 5AX
Staithes Holiday Cottages
Toffee Crackle House, High Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, TS13 5BH
The Firs
Hinderwell Lane, Runswick Bay, Whitby, North Yorkshire, TS13 5HR
Rowantree Farm
Fryup Road, Ainthorpe, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 2LE
Victoria Hotel
Station Road, Robin Hood’s Bay, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4RL
Walkers Cottage
7d Walkers Yard, Cliff Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3DD
The Runswick Bay Hotel
2 Hinderwell Lane, Runswick Bay, Whitby, North Yorkshire, TS13 5HR
Ellerby Country Inn
12-14 Ryeland Lane, Ellerby, Nr Whitby, North Yorkshire, TS13 5LP
Halmer Grange Guest House
Goathland, Nr Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 5AN
The Belfry Whitby
The Belfry, 2 Church Square, North Yorkshire, YO21 3EG
North Yorkshire Moors Caravan Club Site – CAMC
Sneaton, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 5JE
York House
3 Back Lane, High Hawsker, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4LW
Whitehaven Guest House
29 Crescent Avenue, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3EW
White Linen Whitby
24 Bagdale, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1QS
White Point House
White Point Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO213JR
White Horse & Griffin
87 Church Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4BH
White Linen Guest House
24 Bagdale, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1QS
Whitby Holiday Cottages
48 Flowergate, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3BB
Whitby Holiday Park – Holiday Homes
Whitby Holiday Park, Saltwick Bay, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4JX
Wentworth Guest House
27 Hudson Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3EP
Waterside Cottage
C/o Robert & Victoria, 3 Sandgate, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4DB
W Hamond Boutique Apartment
112 Church Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4DE
Unique Retreats
Unique Retreats, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 5EP
Thistlebank Townhouse Whitby
19 Bagdale, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1QS
The Willows
35 Bagdale, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1QL
The Woodlands
The Valley, Sandsend, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3TE
The Wheeldale Whitby
11 North Promenade, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3JX
The Whitby Whaler
8 Prospect Hill, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1QE
The Watermark Apartments
15 & 18 Holt Court, Whitehall Landing, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4FG
The Stables at Cross Butts
Guisborough Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1TL
The Studio Flat
Glaisdale, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 2PZ
The Runcible Spoon
16 High Street, Hinderwell, Whitby, North Yorkshire, TS13 5JHThings to do in Whitby
Whitby Coastal Cruises
The Brewery Steps, Lower Harbour, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3PR
Whitby Whale Watching
6a Albion Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1ES
Whitby Brewery
East Cliff, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4JR
Ellerby Country Inn
12-14 Ryeland Lane, Ellerby, Whitby, North Yorkshire, TS13 5LP
Bark Endeavour
Pier Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3PU
Baxtergate Shop & Cafe
Baxtergate, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1BW
Wetwheels Yorkshire
Wetwheels Yorkshire, Whitby Harbour, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1YW
Whitby Museum Tea Room
Pannett Park, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1RE
White Horse & Griffin Restaurant
87 Church Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4BH
W Hamond Tea Room
Directly Above W Hamond Boutique, 112 Church Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4DE
The White House Restaurant
Upgang Lane, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3JJ
The Wheatsheaf Inn
Egton, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1TZ
The White House Restaurant
Upgang Lane, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3JJ
The Star Inn The Harbour
Langborne Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1YN
The Stables at Cross Butts
Guisborough Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1TLThe Runcible Spoon
16 High Street, Hinderwell, Whitby, North Yorkshire, TS13 5JH
The Postgate
Egton Bridge, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1UX
The Magpie Cafe
14 Pier Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3PUThe Magpie Cafe
14 Pier Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3PU
The Hare & Hounds
High Street, High Hawsker, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4LH
The Four Seasons Restaurant
14 Bridge Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4BG
The Fisherman’s Wife
Khyber Pass, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3PZ
The Angel Hotel
1 New Quay Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1DH
The Artisan Cafe @ The Geall Gallery
Front Street, Grosmont, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO225QE
Skippers Cafe
Skippers Café, 5 Haggersgate, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3PP
Sea View Restaurant at Victoria Hotel
Station Road, Robin Hood’s Bay, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4RL
Shepherds Hall Tea Rooms & Craft Gallery
Lealholm, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 2AQ
Royal Fisheries
48 Baxtergate, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1BL
Rusty Shears
3 Silver Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3BU
Romerojo’s
5a Golden Lion Bank, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3BSRobertsons
6/7 Bridge Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4BG
Raithwaite Estate Dining
Sandsend, Raithwaite, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3ST
Quayside
7 Pier Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3PU
North Beach Cafe
North Beach, North Promenade, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3EN
Moors Coffee Shop
The Green, Goathland, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 5LX
Mister Chips Seafood Restaurant
68/69 Church Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4ASAbout Whitby
Whitby is one of the most famous and popular seaside towns in Yorkshire.
Whitby is split by the River Esk. On the East Cliff, overlooking the North Sea, the ruined Gothic Whitby Abbey was Bram Stoker’s inspiration for “Dracula”. Nearby is the Church of St. Mary, reached by 199 steps.
The Captain Cook Memorial Museum, in the house where Cook once lived, displays paintings and maps.
West of town is West Cliff Beach, lined with beach huts.
As well as being the birthplace of some of modern history’s best known stories, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage.
Tourism started in Whitby during the Georgian period and developed with the arrival of the railway in 1839. Its attraction as a tourist destination is enhanced by the proximity of the high ground of the North York Moors national park and the heritage coastline and by association with the horror novel Dracula.
For industry, as well as fishing, Jet and alum were mined locally, and Whitby jet, which was mined by the Romans and Victorians, became fashionable during the 19th century.
The abbey ruin at the top of the East Cliff is the town’s oldest and most prominent landmark.
Other significant features include the swing bridge, which crosses the River Esk and the harbour, which is sheltered by the grade II listed East and West piers.
The town’s maritime heritage is commemorated by statues of Captain Cook and William Scoresby, as well as the whalebone arch that sits at the top of the West Cliff.
The town also has a strong literary tradition and has featured in literary works, television and cinema.